Monday, November 2, 2009

Goodbye Grandpa

Wednesday morning October 28th, I got a phone call around 3:15 in the morning. Of course a phone call that early can never be good. My first thought was that something had happened to Bryce who has been training with Ogden City Police down in Salt Lake for the last month. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was my sister Jennifer. The news was not good, as expected. Jennifer was calling to let me know that Grandpa Urry had passed away.

Grandpa went in to have surgery on his knee on Monday morning. The surgery went well, there were no complications, and all indications were that everything would be ok. Mom and Dad went to visit with him in the hospital on Tuesday and he was in some pain and very restless, but was fearful of taking any pain medication. When the nurses went into Grandpa's room just before 2 am to check on him they found he wasn't breathing.

Grandpa was such an amazing man. He suffered so much as a WWII POW for 13 months, met and married grandma after just three short days, raised eight children together, served two missions and so much more. You could tell that he loved Grandma so much as well as the rest of the family. I will never forget our yearly camping trips to perception park, going down to St George as a family when we were young and now with my sisters for our girls weekend away. I remember when my parents and Jennifer went to Mexico and Grandpa and Grandma came out to our house and stayed with us. Most recently I think of our last trip to St George all of us girls were sitting around talking and laughing and Grandpa who we thought was interested in a TV show would all of a sudden bust up laughing at us. I have so many fond memories of Grandpa.

Grandpa I appreciate the example you have always been in my life. I only hope I can be half the person you have been. Thank you for your words of wisdom and advice that you were so willing to give when I came to you for help and answers. I love you, and will miss you greatly.
(Yes I know the picture is sideways, it's the first picture I have found but I couldn't figure out how to change it)